


My Lasting Companion

by Keitmeg



Series: Zosan Package [15]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Inspired by Doujinshi, M/M, Past Character Death, Sad with a Happy Ending, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-12 00:39:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15983906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keitmeg/pseuds/Keitmeg
Summary: Luffy came too late...





	My Lasting Companion

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by NARI’s 'Spill out Your Soul'.

 

 

 

  

A wall of posters shows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew with the new bounty on their heads; it has certainly gone up since last time Zoro checked. He knows separating from everyone wasn’t easy, it never is, but he also knows that his decision to go a different path was the right thing to do.

He’s heard of new people teaming up with Luffy, becoming part of their nakamas. While he’s certain that there must have been quite the story with every new member, he also knows it isn’t his business anymore.

 

A balmy wind brings his thoughts back to Agape, the café he and Sanji are currently sitting at. He chances a look at Sanji’s hands holding the large coffee cup, the silver ring on his finger, the tender look in his ever-glinting eyes and the kind smile on his lips. Zoro is enthralled all over again.

 

“So?” Sanji prompts, “do you?”

Zoro snaps out of his conscious reverie and sits up straight, “Sorry, what did you say?”

Sanji gives him that appeasing look, probably wondering what’s on Zoro’s mind before he simply shrugs, but the baggy sweater makes his shoulder look small and narrow. “I said are you working late tomorrow?”

Zoro shakes his head and spins the ring on his own ring finger with his thumb, a habit that’s become too frequent when he’s thinking. “No,” he says, “why?”

“We’re fresh out of milk, ramen and toothpaste,” Sanji answers, “beer too.” He adds hastily. “’Thought we’d go shopping together before we leave here.”

Zoro relaxes and nods, “sure.”

 

 

Now, as he stands by the front door to the apartment the two of them are sharing, waiting for Sanji to come since they’re shopping together, a flash of nostalgia comes to him uninvited. Zoro remembers suggesting his idea to sleeping on the same bed together to Sanji soon after they left their dreams and Nakamas behind and settled for a different path, and Sanji didn’t show any hesitance as he shrugged, looking as uninterested in the world as ever. But Zoro could feel it, the happiness Sanji couldn’t show back then because he was too embarrassed.

 

Sanji is wearing the same baggy sweater and skinny jeans from the previous day; Zoro guesses it must be because the moron likes the outfit. The two of them walk side by side under the faint sun struggling to send its rays despite the thick clouds.

 

Zoro never really thought their relationship could become this… intimate. The two have been notorious for quite the decade but Zoro never allowed himself any other position than the big rival who’d always still back up Sanji; but look at him now, twining his fingers with Sanji’s and loving the peaceful closeness. And Sanji, since when did he say the sweetest things? Zoro guesses their bond and spending more and more time together have managed to make a lot of things happen. 

“Say, Zoro.” Sanji starts, and beyond that stoic tone, Zoro can’t really hear anything. “You love me, right?” He asks, “What do you love most about me?”

If Zoro opted for the challenge, he’d need a sea of ink to write the things he likes about Sanji. They’ve been together for so long now Zoro knows him inside out. His boyfriend –Zoro blushes at the thought– but it doesn’t mean he necessarily dislikes it. He fondles Sanji’s knuckle with his thump and lets out a chuckle. “Why are you even asking?” He glances at Sanji, loving the gleam in those almond-like, blue eyes and the mole under his long lashes, “I love everything about you.” He says and doesn’t flinch at the confession, “I love you.”

Sanji’s cheeks immediately flush, becoming beet red; the tips of his ears redden as well. And Zoro’s heart flutters at the sight. He can’t help but want to kiss him for failing to hide his true reaction, which, if Zoro is honest, has got to be the most adorable the blond has shown in years. A swift onceover tells him no one is looking so he pecks a kiss on Sanji’s plump lips.

 

 

 

“That toothpaste irritates your gums,” Sanji reminds, “pick another.”

“Who died and made you boss?” Zoro scoffs but it’s playful so Sanji overlooks it. Besides, Zoro is already putting that one toothpaste down and picking another, just as told. “By the way,” Zoro tosses the toothpaste into the cart and trudges on between the aisles, pushing the thing with his only hand. “What are we gonna have for dinner tonight?”

“Beats me,” Sanji sighs, “well, is there something specific you want to eat?”

“Are you cooking?”

Sanji furls his lips in indignation but soon relents with a sheepish smile, “sure.”

“Then,” Zoro drawls but soon smirks puckishly, “Onigiri.”

Sanji giggles sweetly while shaking his head sadly, “We ate that last night, _and_ the night before.”

Zoro shrugs childishly, “so?” he huffs, “I love the rice balls you make.”

Sanji’s smile widens but his lips remain pressed as he wraps his arms over his chest and fiddles with the ring through a small opening in the nook of his elbow.

 

“Roronoa Zoro, is that you?”

Said male looks from his boyfriend to the one who’s just called his name, he finds Nefartari Vivi, wearing a black semi-formal dress, with her hair spilling on one shoulder, revealing a plain silver necklace around her sun-kissed skin.

“Oh, you,” He squares his shoulders as she approaches him, “How’ve ya been?”

She smiles to him coquettishly, “I’ve been well. It really has been a while. I heard you left the Straw Hat.” She says, “I was shocked at the news.”

Back at Alabasta, he did have one or two interactions with Vivi but she was more acquainted with Sanji really, in other words, she bonded with Sanji, not him. But now that they’re all reunited, he can’t exactly fathom the reason why Vivi and Sanji aren’t even looking at each other. He doesn’t impose because, although it’s low on his part, he’s glad she’s out of the picture. He knows he can trust Sanji enough to take five minutes of their time to have small talk with a former acquaintance, who almost came in between them, had it not been for their unlabeled bond. But he’s a little taken aback, confused and just altogether lost as to why the two of them aren’t speaking to each other anymore. In fact, Sanji is looking irritated by now judging by the scowl over his forehead; then, so out of the blue, he turns around and throws a ‘leaving first’ over his shoulder.

“So,” Vivi’s smile disappears and she furrows her brows at Zoro, “how have you been?”

Zoro reels his head back at her, “Oh, good.” He says, “You know.”

She eyes him from head to toe and doesn’t miss on his inquisitive brows. “You do look fine, I mean better than I thought you’d be.”

Zoro scoffs humorlessly and cocks his head, “and why the hell is that?”

Something vague flashes across her face, but Zoro is too distracted by Sanji’s disappearance to really care. “You know…” she cuts herself short when Zoro keeps fidgeting and looking around and mumbling ‘where is he’ to himself, “you came with someone?”

Zoro finally looks at her again, “Yea, yea actually” he says on a sigh, “with Sanji.”

Her large eyes widen in instant horror and she recoils to the back a little, “is this a joke?” she huffs, her high heels click-clack as she wobbles but quickly steadies herself, “am I supposed to laugh?”

Zoro’s face is set with hard lines and he hardens his gaze as well, “what are you talking about?”

Understanding dawns in at last as Vivi calms down, “Zoro,” she starts, more calmly now, “Sanji is gone. He died three years ago.”

Said male makes an aborted scoff but stifles it in when she doesn’t bat an eye. He wants to fault her for these lies, he wants to ridicule her for her sorry attempt to come between him and Sanji because she failed to win one over, but his words fail him and he remains speechless.

“Zoro, you don’t remember?” There’s urgent worry in her tone, “Sanji died on the ship, and then you left.”

Zoro’s chest suddenly squeezes and he feels claustrophobic, his hand lets go of the cart. He totters to the back and hits a shelf of hair gel, some of the bottles tip over. Vivi scurries to him, wanting to support his weight but he quickly wrenches his arm from her small hands and dashes forward, ignoring her as she calls him out, her voice strained with the tears in her eyes.

 

_Then, leave after you’ve taken me down._

That’s what his former captain said right after Zoro cut off his own arm. Zoro himself believed it had already been established who was stronger, so Zoro foresaw his loss before it really happened. The only reason why he went along with it was because he wanted to do his captain’s last command.

Zoro had already set his mind of leaving the crew and his own dream of becoming the greatest swordsman in the word in order to find the All Blue for Sanji.

He’d been traveling around for three years, following leads and stories or rumors, meeting new people and sometimes even saving them from unworthy rulers or idiotic pirates. He’d been doing it for three full years with Sanji by his side, not failing to accompany him in every second of the journey.

Zoro loved the constant presence by his side, and he never stopped to doubt or refuse it.

 

After Sanji took his last breath, never waking up again, Zoro was hit by his own feelings towards his rival. He started to realize how much he’d always treasured Sanji in a special way more than he did for the rest. He started to realize how much in love he’d always been with Sanji’s everything; his crude words, his prince looks and his food and smiles… He knew he was never going to be ready to let go.

Sanji, somehow, got himself attached to this world still. Zoro now knows it was because of his own wish to be with Sanji forever…

 

 

He remembers once upon a time, he and Sanji happened to sit side by side on Merry’s deck and sky-gaze without exchanged blows or scathing words.

“Find your own damn spot, Spiral Brows.” Zoro berated.

Sanji chuckled around his cigarette, “ah, sorry” he said on a distressed sigh, “This is the only spot with a good view.”

Zoro’s anger immediately ebbed, and the two stared at the sky with equal astonishment in their eyes.

 

“Hey, Zoro” Sanji called after a while, and although Zoro wanted to slice him for being a talkative moron, he simply forgave him just like that. He’d always been too weak to Sanji once he’d start with ‘Zoro’. Spoken softly and showing him, time and again, how he’d always cherish the name in his own special way. “When I finally find the All Blue, I think I’ll set up shop and be a chef.”

The unexpected statement made Zoro laugh, “And you think you can open your own restaurant?”

“You think I can’t?”

Zoro’s laugh began to diminuendo into a vibrating chuckle, before he said seriously “I think you’ll ace it.”

Sanji remained silent for a beat before taking a long whiff of his cigarette then exhaling everything into the cold breeze. “And when you become the world’s greatest swordsman, you have to promote my restaurant, you understand?”

“Only if you give me free food.” Zoro joked.

 

He remembers Sanji’s genuine smile back then; that night was entrenched into his memory, and he’s never forgotten how he simply stopped minding the man’s presence….

 

A black semi honks at Zoro just as he tries to cross the street; he waits by the sidewalk until the light turns green.

Zoro looks at the front door of the apartment he’s currently sharing with Sanji, the apartment which they were supposed to share together. It all sinks in and Zoro realizes he still can’t really face Sanji’s death, he could never face it. Sanji is right behind this door and all Zoro needs to do is push it open, and he’d have his heaven right beside him, and he won’t have to share him with anyone. He’s complacent about his decisions; he regrets only one… that he didn’t realize that it was Sanji back then.

How could Sanji be gone when Zoro finds delicious food on the table every single time he comes back from the different part time jobs he does, how could he be gone when he’s _here_ , sharing the bed with Zoro every single night.

When they’ve kissed countless times…

Does Sanji know any of this, that he is… was supposed to be dead. Should Zoro tell him, keep him posted on the juicy details too, how a fucking low-class pirate got the drop on Zoro, drugged him and ordered him to violate and kill, and that Sanji was one the receiving end of it all.

Zoro’s shaky hands lift up in the slowest of movement, and they scrub his face of its weariness.

Is this even real?

What’s real, and what’s not?

Who knows these things?

 

_Even if it hurts, live on…_

 

 It rings like a harmonious bell and Zoro is suddenly engulfed in feelings which his heart has no capacity to handle right now; he shakes himself out of it because Sanji isn’t gone, Sanji is right behind this door.

 

Trembling fingers press on the door handle, at last.

 

Zoro believes in miracles now, he believes that if you believe in something enough to be true, it’d very much become true. And if you love someone very much enough that you can’t do without them, they’d stay by your side. And Zoro won’t give back this gift even if his eyes burn.

 

The radiant light inside the apartment is too warm, unlike the chilly breeze poking people outside. And there he is, Sanji, standing by the window, absorbing the light that’s trying to gush in. He slowly turns his head to Zoro. The look in those almond-like eyes is as tender as ever, and the smile on his lips is as kind as ever.

“Welcome home.”

Zoro almost doesn’t hear it as a strong wind comes in between them, ruffling Sanji’s smooth hair. There’s peacefulness, Zoro almost tastes it, it overwhelms him and he suddenly decides that he will keep the secret, because if he doesn’t, that beautiful man could disappear and take this peacefulness with him. So he smiles gently, takes his shoes off and walks up to Sanji as the latter plasters on another one of his loving smiles.

“I’m home.”

 

 

He isn’t entitled to anyone, and he doesn’t have to get horrified by any facts. Some people might think of Sanji as the young guy who died too soon and didn’t get to enjoy his life or achieve his goal. And some might even think of him as a victim of a felony in which the defendant got away with his crime with just a cut off arm only. However, Zoro won’t remember. He’ll live. He will continue to love and care about Sanji, the same way Sanji is doing for him… that he even shut the gates of heaven themselves to be with him.

 

He isn’t crazy. He is blessed.

 

Zoro’s arm wraps around Sanji’s back, feeling every curve and every muscle. Sanji wraps his arms around Zoro’s shoulders, and as Zoro presses closer so they can kiss, Sanji hums,

“Where’s the grocery?”

Zoro hangs his head in shame but quickly lifts it up, “dang,” he sighs through his nose, “forgot to bring it.”

 

  

 

 

 

 


End file.
